The Axepress Lane: SU-UConn mini preview and Week 9 NFL picks

Brent Axe checks in Monday-Friday in the "Axepress Lane" with his thoughts on the big stories of the day, shares some interesting links/videos, and whatever is on his mind. Send him some feedback in the comments section below, via email at baxeman@yahoo.com, or on his radio show, "On the Block", heard weekdays 2-6 p.m. on The Score 1260 in Syracuse

1. Syracuse vs Connecticut Mini-Preview

What a disappointing week.

I thought this week would be a stroll down memory lane. Back to the days when a debate was raging in Central New York about whether or not a certain coach needed to move along.

APHey. Don't I know you?

Turns out, you just wanted to move along.

Callers to radio, commenters here, people on the street, etc....zzzzzzzz.

Coach P? Never heard of him.

I think most of you forgot how to pronounce Pasqualoni. I have heard it pronounced "multiple" ways.

*Sigh*

Oh well. If you want to talk about just football and just this game and how Syracuse needs to get back on track after a tough loss to Louisville and how big this game is for UConn to stay in the bowl eligibility hunt, I guess we can do that.

We can all be walking clones of a football coach and pretend to ignore the big elephant in the room that THE COACH ON THE OTHER SIDELINE, YOU KNOW THE GUY THAT COACHED HERE FOR 14 YEARS AND WAS FIRED FROM HERE, COACHES CONNECTICUT NOW!

Nope. Doesn't matter. We just need to give it 110 percent and take it one day at a time.

Big game.

As a former coach here once said, ole' what's his name, "the good lord put our eyes in the front of our head for a reason. To see where we are going, not in the back to see where we have been"

On to the football. Just the football.

What intrigues me about this game is that Syracuse basically gets a re-do from last week.

They are going on the road in conference for a noon game against a team with a tough defensive line, poor offensive line, questionable QB play, and hasn't scored a lot of points this year.

Last week, Louisville got solid play from their questionable QB, harassed Ryan Nassib all day, and took advantage of a Syracuse secondary that gives up a lot of big plays.

They dragged Syracuse down in the pit and didn't let them out.

Now, Connecticut isn't exactly the same as Louisville, but they will try and win with the same approach.

Run the ball, find some holes in the secondary for big plays, and overwhelm the Syracuse offensive line physically just as they did a year ago.

The key is the Syracuse pass rush.

They have to make Johnny McEntee's life miserable when he even thinks about the throwing the ball, limit Scott McCummings when he comes in to run it, and make UConn one dimensional.

Even then, you play to UConn's strength because they can run the ball, but I'll take my chances that the Syracuse offense has a bounce-back day and can outscore this team.

If the pass rush can get established, this also makes life easier on the secondary - which has not proven they can shut anyone down this year.

UConn's defensive line is very good and very physical, but much like the Louisville game, there should be 4-5 windows that open for big plays.

Nassib misfired on pretty much every chance he has last week. I don't think he will again.

Back to the Pasqualoni thing.

People can downplay it all they want. I still think it matters.

UConn's players will have a little emotional push in this game to win one for their coach. They can give me the "we don't pay attention to that stuff" speech all day.

They know that Syracuse fired their coach a few years ago and knows what it would mean to him to beat that school.

Do they bring it up in the huddle or right after a tackle?

Of course not.

But in a game fueled by emotion and momentum, I think it matters. It is in the back of your mind.

That is another similarity to the Louisville game as the Cardinals had an emotional edge last week as well in playing for their injured teammate, Anthony Connor.

That said, I think Syracuse makes enough plays in a tough one to win.

I believe they learned their lessons from last week, will get a more accurate performance from Ryan Nassib, a solid game out of Antwon Bailey, and grab some turnovers provided by the pass rush that I think will eventually break UConn's back.

Syracuse 24
UConn 20

2. Week 9 NFL Picks

The NFL always delivers no matter how good or bad the match ups looks, but what a solid weekend of games lined up.

Bills-Jets.

Steelers-Ravens.

Patriots-Giants.

Bucs-Saints

Bears-Eagles.

Packers-Chargers.

Bengals-Titans.

Even that Raiders-Broncos game is interesting to see if Carson Palmer or Tim Tebow can get it in gear.

Ok, that clash of 1-6 teams between Arizona and St.Louis doesn't look so sexy, but hey, St.Louis pulled off a big upset when the world picked New Orleans to beat them last week.